


Saiouma Week Heck Yeah

by puffinmuffin13



Category: Dangan Ronpa - All Media Types, New Dangan Ronpa V3: Everyone's New Semester of Killing
Genre: M/M, No editing we die like people who forgot this was coming up, Shuichi may seem ooc at some points I have no idea
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-01
Updated: 2019-09-14
Packaged: 2020-10-04 21:37:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 9,737
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20477867
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/puffinmuffin13/pseuds/puffinmuffin13
Summary: My works for saiouma week 2019 on Tumblr! This is going to be updated as the week goes on!Day One: DISNEY– (Rapunzel au) Shuichi and Kokichi have a conversation about Shuichi's magical glowing hair.Day Two: GAMES– Kokichi and Shuichi argue over Pokepark while Shuichi just wants to play Pokemon Ranger. Also there's a misunderstanding but there's no angst and they make up like two seconds later.Day Three: AU– (Pokemon AU) Kokichi and Shuichi have a Pokemon battle, because why not. Surely everything will go fine! ... Right?Day Four: Music– Kokichi has Maladaptive Daydreaming Disorder, which means he's gonna have his head in the clouds for a good part of his life, even if he doesn't want to. He wouldn't be surprised if Shuichi leaves him once he finds out... But will he?Day Five: Snowy Day– Snow on Halloween wasn't exactly what Shuichi expected to see, but Kokichi was dragging him out trick or treating regardless of the weather... Well, at least they both have warm costumes!Day Six: Appreciation Day– Shuichi employs Rantaro's help to confess to Kokichi. Rantaro'sgotthis.





	1. It All Comes Back to Flowers

**Author's Note:**

> I just realized while writing this that this is the first time I've ever written from Shuichi's perspective. I'm gonna try and get a handle on writing him but he might seem a little OOC for a while. Sorry about that!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> (Rapunzel au) Shuichi and Kokichi have a conversation about Shuichi's magical glowing hair.

About four hours ago, Shuichi and Kokichi escaped from royal guards that were after Kokichi. About four hours ago, Shuichi had had to make his hair glow to let them escape from where they were trapped in a cave. And about four hours ago, Kokichi had gone silent as he tried not to freak out, which he was still doing four hours later.

Shuichi sighed, poking at the fire with a stick as Kokichi sat on a log nearby. Kokichi had told him how to set up the campfire, but aside from that, he hadn't uttered a word since they got out of the river. It worried Shuichi, seeing Kokichi so solemn, and he chewed on his lip as he glanced over to the other boy, wishing he still had his hat to hide behind.

But sadly, he didn't. It had been washed away in the water, just like Kokichi's playful nature.

... Maybe he wouldn't get his hat back. But Shuichi decided right then and there, with a rush of courage, that he wasn't going to let Kokichi stay this upset for any longer. Even if Kokichi was a liar and a thief, Shuichi knew he deserved to know the truth.

"Ko... Kokichi?" Shuichi began, and Kokichi, not looking at him, gave a hum in response. Shuichi took a deep breath and continued. "I... Think I owe you an explanation."

Kokichi snorted, but when he shifted to look back at Shuichi, Shuichi could see the curiosity in his eyes, which was directly contrasted by the very next words that came out of Kokichi's mouth. "Ooh, really? What gave you impression? I'm perfectly fine, learning that my companion for this whole journey, who managed to get a bar full of criminals to burst into song, has _magical fucking hair!_ Don't you worry, I'm just peachy, I don't need an explanation at all!"

Kokichi didn't follow up his words with a declaration of a lie. Shuichi wasn't surprised.

"It... It doesn't _just_ glow," Shuichi admitted, looking away from Kokichi's face as he tried to think about how best to phrase his next words, so that Kokichi wouldn't accuse him of lying. As he did so, his eyes landed on Kokichi's hand, and Shuichi paused as he saw it was hurt.

Kokichi, evidently, noticed where his gaze landed. "Hm? Is my beloved worried about me and my life-threatening wound? Ah, the pain is unbearable! Waaaaaaah!" Here came the crocodile tears, but Shuichi didn't respond, simply taking Kokichi's hand to look at it closer in silence.

There was a beat where no one moved, and Shuichi took a good look at Kokichi's hand. The cut wasn't too deep, but Shuichi winced as he examined it. Had Kokichi gotten this while dislodging the rocks to let them escape? During some point in the bar? Shuichi doubted Kokichi wouldn't take an opportunity to make a scene and make him worry if this happened sometime before the Fluffy Duckling...

"Hey, are you really that worried about me? I'm fine, you know. You're pretty dumb, to believe a lie like that, nishishi!" Kokichi tried to tug away his hand, but Shuichi didn't let him, and as Shuichi raised his head from where he had been examining the cut, it seemed to be Kokichi's turn to not look at him. Shuichi glanced back down at the cut again, and when he looked back up, Kokichi was frowning at him.

"C'mon, Shuichi, I know I'm –"

"Promise you won't freak out?"

The words came tumbling out of Shuichi, and he physically winced at how they sounded. Unsure, of course, like almost everything he said, but they didn't even seem like something he would say. They were too... corny wasn't the word. Cliche? Expected?

Kokichi was staring at him, blank expression on his face that made Shuichi shiver, and Shuichi wished now more than ever that he still had his hat. It took all his confidence to keep holding Kokichi's hand, to not let go and try and hide in his hair.

But a moment later Kokichi's face cracked into a grin, and he was leaning back, interest dancing in his eyes like the firelight. "Nishishi! Alright, I promise! But are you sure you should be trusting a promise from a phantom thief like me? I am a –"

"A liar, I know." Shuichi shifted closer to Kokichi, fidgeting even after he settled down. Letting go of Kokichi's hand with one of his own to reach for a lock of his hair, Shuichi hesitated. If Kokichi went back on his word...

_... I'll have to trust him,_ Shuichi decided, and as he took a bundle of hair in his grip and wrapped it around Kokichi's cut, he felt the embers of his earlier courage flicker to life. _He's going to take me to see the lights. He doesn't want my hair, he only wants his satchel, which I've hidden. I'll be fine._

".. What are you doing?" Kokichi asked him, as Shuichi checked to make sure all of the cut was covered before taking a deep breath. Shuichi glanced at him, accidentally meeting Kokichi's eye before swallowing and staring at Kokichi's hand again.

"Showing you what else my hair does. I thought you wanted to know?"

Kokichi scoffed, already saying something about how Shuichi needed to listen better, because he very obviously did _not_ want to know what else "Shuichi's dumb hair" did, but Shuichi closed his eyes and pretended he wasn't listening. Hands shaking and voice quiet, Shuichi began.

"Flower, gleam and glow...

"Let your power shine...

"Make the clock reverse..."

"... Bring back what once was mine."

Kokichi wasn't saying a word, but Shuichi could hear his gasp. He forged on, grip tightening on Kokichi's hand.

"Heal what has been hurt...

"Change the fate's design...

"Save what has been lost...

"Bring back what once was mine..."

Silence. The only sound was his own voice.

"What once was mine..."

Shuichi opened his eyes. Kokichi was gaping at him, jaw dropped and eyes wide. Shuichi swallowed, dropping his gaze as he started to unwind his hair from Kokichi's hand, and Kokichi, with a start, hurriedly pulled his hand away from Shuichi.

Shuichi watched him closely, and as Kokichi's expression became even more astonished as he stared at his hand, Shuichi quickly spat out, waving his hands in front of himself, "You promised you wouldn't freak out!"

With those words, it was like a switch had been flipped, and the look on Kokichi's face became relaxed and casual, playful, like always. He chuckled as he put his hands behind his head, and Shuichi sighed in relief to see he wasn't going to do the thing he had been on the brink of this whole conversation.

"Aw, Shuichi, you really trust me, don't you? You've gotta be more careful than that! Didn't we go over this back when we first met, dummy?" Kokichi waved a nagging finger at him, and Shuichi, to his own surprise, found himself giggling.

"Heeeey, don't laugh! This is serious! You've gotta be less trusting, especially with a guy like me!"

"O-oh, really? A guy who – who got knocked out with a frying pan after climbing into a suspicious tower in the middle of nowhere? Pfft..."

"Hey! I'll have you know that I have come to _appreciate_ the frying pan as a weapon! And you should too, buttercup! If I ever become a royal guard captain, I'll make aaaaaall the guards use them instead of swords!"

Shuichi's laughing and snorting died down, and as his grin slipped into a small smile, Shuichi felt heat in his cheeks. "Buttercup?"

At this angle, Kokichi's face looked red in the firelight... Kokichi didn't meet Shuichi's questioning gaze, and turned away as he stretched. "Mhm! What, would you prefer Goldenrod? Daffodil? I need _some_ nickname for you based on your magic gold glow hair, or else there's not even a _point_ of learning my companion has magical hair!"

"Right," Shuichi joked, but... Well. Kokichi was happy and joking again, and he wasn't going to freak out, and that was all that mattered right now. "Well, okay then, Kokichi. If you don't mind, I'm tired, so..."

As he stood up to go sleep a little farther away from the fire, Kokichi's shoulders slumped, but the grin on his face didn't disappear as he cheerfully said, "Night night, buttercup! I expect a twenty page essay on all my questions to be delivered to me in the morning!"

_You didn't ask me any questions..._ Shuichi thought to himself, but he was more amused than annoyed. Taking a few steps towards his spot, Shuichi thought of something.

Turning back to Kokichi, embers of courage replaced with embers of happiness – "Goodnight, bellflower."

And as Shuichi laid to sleep, the expression on Kokichi's face followed him into dreams of what would happen when they finally reached the Lantern Festival.


	2. Quests Must Wait For Pokepark Discussions and Boyfriend Shenanigans

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Games – Kokichi and Shuichi argue over Pokepark while Shuichi just wants to play Pokemon Ranger. Also there's a misunderstanding but there's no angst and they make up like two seconds later.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As soon as I saw the prompt "games" I was instantly like, "Ah, yes, an opportunity to talk about the forgotten Pokemon games that only me and my brother ever discuss now in the fandom." So I guess this was inspired by my brother in a way...? Anyway, hope you enjoy!

"Hey, hey, Shuichi! Are you ever going to get around to playing Pokepark 2? I'm still waiting for you to unlock the attractions so we can play together!"

At Kokichi's question, Shuichi sighed, opening the menu to pause the game. He didn't expect a conversation about Pokepark to be the first thing Kokichi said after plopping down to lie on the couch next to him, head in his lap, but Shuichi wasn't completely unsurprised, either. Leaning to the side just a little so he could see Kokichi's face, he wasn't surprised at all to see his boyfriend was wearing a cheeky smile.

Shuichi smiled back, and answered politely. "Probably, yeah. But I've told you before that I've played it already and... It's just not as interesting to me as the first game, sorry."

Immediately, Kokichi gave a fake scandalized gasp, and Shuichi had to hold back a snort at the wide eyed, horrified act Kokichi was putting on, like Shuichi's words had been some admittance of betrayal. Holding back giggles as Kokichi sat up and immediately launched into what could almost be mistaken for a well-rehearsed speech, Shuichi sat back and went back playing Shadows of Almia, only partly listening to Kokichi even as he concentrated on not getting hit by any Gliscor. He just needed to get this Cherrim for his quest...

But almost as soon as he'd raised his game back up, Kokichi's whine about being ignored cut through his concentration, and Shuichi quickly lowered his 2DS before Kokichi tried tugging it out of his hands. Kokichi gave him a look filled with annoyance, and Shuichi sent him one right back with a mix of amusement and exasperation.

Okay, to be honest, Shuichi did feel a bit guilty for trying to ignore Kokichi, but... he also just wanted to finish his quest already. He'd been trying for half an hour, and hadn't managed to get across Peril Cliffs even once yet... Swallowing down his frustration, Shuichi offered Kokichi a placid smile. "Ah, sorry, Kokichi. You were talking about the plot of Pokepark 2... Something how it was better storywise than the first game, correct?"

Kokichi gave an exaggerated groan, leaning back and surely rolling his eyes at Shuichi, and as he sat back up Shuichi had to hide his grin behind his hand; Kokichi was giving him his fake pouty face, and as Kokichi opened his mouth to once again rant about Pokepark 1 and 2, Shuichi inwardly sighed, admitted defeat, and turned his 2DS to sleep mode.

"Yes! Pokepark 2 is soooo much better with the plot! It's more than just 'gotta get the crystals or else everyone dies;' it actually has a _story_ and a _villain_ in it. And Wish Park is _much_ cooler than the Sky Pavilion!"

Shuichi hummed, but staring at Kokichi a bit blankly. To be honest, he had no idea what Kokichi was referencing. That, and his mind was still partly thinking about his current quest... "Mhm. I see."

Kokichi poked him in the side as he frowned, but Shuichi knew he wasn't really mad. On one of his pokes, Kokichi made sure to look Shuichi in the eye, and Shuichi tensed up.

Kokichi tilted his head, still frowning, but seeming a little bit more serious than before. "Hey, are you gonna listen to me, or are you gonna become boring on me? If you become boring and break my poor little heart, I'll have to sic my whole organization on you!"

Shuichi lowered his hand from his face, smile gone as he caught Kokichi's hand mid-poke. Shuichi put down his DS on the table next to him, and with his other hand gave Kokichi a poke right back, one on his nose.

As Kokichi squeaked, Shuichi took a breath. "That's a lie, isn't it?" It wasn't really a question, and Shuichi didn't wait for Kokichi to respond before continuing. "I'm sorry for seeming like I wasn't listening, Kokichi. I just wanted to finish what I was doing, but I guess I came off as rude, and I'm genuinely sorry about that.

"Anyway, I just think Pokepark 1 is better because I like the attractions and story better. Pokepark 2 might have the objectively better plot, but... I prefer Pokepark 1's more relaxed pace. Remember when you asked me to watch you while you were in Cove Town? Even though I wasn't the one playing, Pokepark 2 made me feel like it was rushing me."

Kokichi's face went blank as he took a moment to digest that, and Shuichi took this opportunity to shift how he was sitting, so now Kokichi could lie on him if he wanted to. And he did – Kokichi lay on top of him like it was second instinct, which didn't surprise Shuichi, although the thoughtful look on Kokichi's face was uncommon to see; Kokichi did most of his thinking "behind the scenes," so to speak, so to actually see him thinking hard about something was almost refreshing!

... Even if it was because of a Pokemon Wii game.

"Ugh, alriiight," Kokichi sighed, and Shuichi blinked at him in surprise. Kokichi flopped over onto his belly, eyes narrowed at Shuichi, and elaborated with that same pouty look from earlier on his face. "Maybe I can accept your apology and you being a traitor to Pokepark 2 for reasons like those... But only if you buy me Panta!"

"I was never – nevermind. Alright," Shuichi replied lightly, shaking his head. He couldn't keep the relieved grin off his face though; even if nothing had escalated above a frown from his boyfriend, Shuichi was glad Kokichi seemed happier now. And he didn't mind getting his favorite soda for him, either. "I'll get some when I next go out. Do you, uh, mind getting off me so I can add it to the shopping list?"

"No need!" Kokichi said, even though he was already rolling off Shuichi's chest to land on his feet on the floor. Kokichi beamed at him while heading to the doorway to the kitchen. "I'll do it, so don't you worry your pretty little head about it, Shumai!"

Shuichi smiled after him. For all his faults, and for all the silly arguments and less-than-stellar moments they had, Kokichi was genuinely sweet sometimes...

... Shuichi paused.

"If you've beaten the attractions, you don't need me to beat them too if you want me to play with you, you know!"

"It's more _fun_ if we've both gotten to that point, screw you!"

Shuichi laughed, shook his head again, and settled in where he lay to keep playing Pokemon Ranger.

Maybe later he'd start Pokepark 2, since it mattered that much to Kokichi. But right now, he was gonna relax and catch this Cherrim.

... And give Kokichi a kiss when he came back from the kitchen.


	3. A Battle Between Lovers, a Panic Over Partners

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> (Pokemon AU) Kokichi and Shuichi have a Pokemon battle, because why not. Surely everything will go fine! ... Right?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Even though I know the days can be done late, I wanted to finish this one today because otherwise I would have just never finished it. Because of that, and my lack of inspiration when it came to this prompt, it's not really edited, especially near the end, so I think I kinda butchered Shuichi's sorta anxiety attack. Sorry about that. I hope you enjoy anyway.

Shuichi wasn't sure what led to this battle. He wasn't very strong, and his Pokemon weren't the most experienced. But somehow, he'd ended up in a Pokemon battle with Kokichi Ouma, the Ultimate Shiny Hunter, with the threat of having to do any dare Kokichi came up with if he lost.

Of course, Shuichi knew that the same could be said for the other boy; if, by some miracle, Kokichi lost, he could dare Kokichi to do whatever he wanted – give up lying for a day, help Shuichi with his missing Pokemon cases, etcetera. But that probably wasn't going to happen, so as he stepped into place on the school's outside battlefield, Shuichi sighed, prepared himself, and pulled out a PokeBall.

"You ready?! You ready?!" Kokichi called from the other side of the field, already bouncing in excitement. Evanescence, Shuichi's emotional support Pokemon and one of his Mightyena, glanced up at him, and after bending down to Evanescence a quick pet, Shuichi straightened up and gave a nod that could be seen clearly by the other boy.

"Woohoo! Now, remember, Shuichi, only two Pokemon!" Kokichi shook his head as if he was prepared for Shuichi to cheat, but Shuichi just rolled his eyes and gripped his PokeBall tighter. They agreed upon that rule because of _Shuichi's_ limitations in Pokemon, so it was pretty much impossible for him to cheat. Regardless...

"Prepare to lose, Shuichi! Three... two... one... Let's duel!"

The final part of that yell threw Shuichi off a bit, but after a minor stumble, Shuichi threw out his PokeBall to reveal Zen, his Kirlia. Zen hit the ground poised, dancing on the tips of its feet, while Kokichi's Lumineon swam through the air, following Zen as Zen leaped around.

_That's the Lumineon Kokichi got from Kaito,_ Shuichi thought, eyes locked onto the water type Pokemon. _I wonder what kind of moves it has...?_

Well, no time left to think, because a second later Kokichi was pointing and shouting, "Water Pulse!"

Lumineon shot out a circle of water, and as Shuichi cried out, Zen moved to dodge. Zen didn't quite get out of the way, but they didn't get hit with the full force of the water, either, and stumbled back a bit, soaking wet. Shuichi took in a shaky breathe as he lowered his hands from where they had instinctively gone to clutch his shirt.

Right, okay, it was his turn. He could do this. "Zen, uh, use... Magical Leaf!"

Even through the barrage of leaves Zen shot at Lumineon, Shuichi could see Kokichi curse. Magical Leaf might be the only attack move Zen knew, but it was super-effective and never missed.

The move hit Lumineon dead on, and it cried out in pain. Kokichi's face twisted, and after a moment of hesitation where Lumineon was shaking its head and Shuichi and Zen were watching carefully, Kokichi brought out his PokeBall to recall Lumineon. "Lumineon, return!"

Lumineon disappeared in a red beam of light, and Zen shot an anxious glance at Shuichi. Shuichi did his best to smile and reassure his Pokemon, but evidently his own nervousness was showing, as Evanescence headbutted him to ground him in the present.

_Okay. Okay, I can do this. Bringing back Lumineon was a smart move, but what's Kokichi going to do now...?_

Kokichi, smirking by this time, threw out a fresh PokeBall, and evidently, the answer to that question was "send out a shiny Froslass."

"Laaass!" Froslass shook itself off, bursting out of its PokeBall in a glimmer of light and mist, and Shuichi had the random, illogical thought, _Ah, so this is how I die._

A moment later, though, he was shaking that thought off, and ordering Zen to use Double Team with a hesitant shout.

"Lia!" Zen started bouncing around, leaping like a ballerina and making copies of itself whenever it landed. Kokichi's eyes followed Zen, but Shuichi doubted he knew which one was the real Zen by now – he sure as heck didn't.

And it seemed like Froslass didn't either, based on its frantic spinning in circles to try and keep an eye on all the Kirlia. Shuichi relaxed his breath.

_Maybe I can actually –_

"Use Blizzard! And follow it up with Hail!"

_... You've got to be kidding me..._

Froslass cheered as it raised its hands to the sky, summoning clouds and mist that covered the entire battlefield. "Fros, lass lass!"

The hail began to fall, and Shuichi sneezed as the temperature changed. His sneeze was nothing compared to the barrage Zen's clones were taking, though, as they disappeared one by one as hailstones struck them. Soon enough, Zen was the only Kirlia left in the arena, sheltering its head from the storm above. "Kirlia!"

"Ah! Zen!" Shuichi squinted to see through the mist; he could make out Zen, and Froslass, but from here, Kokichi was just a shape in the fog. Shuichi gritted his teeth. "Use Magical Leaf!"

"Kirl!" Kirlia sent out the attack, but Shuichi knew it wasn't very effective. There was a shout that Shuichi couldn't quite make out, and with a gust of wind and another round of hail, Zen fell to the ground.

Heart sinking, Shuichi dug in his bag for Zen's PokeBall. Holding it out with an arm as shaky as his voice, he called, "Zen, return!"

Zen disappeared in a flash of light just like how Lumineon had, and Shuichi took a moment to smile at the Pokemon currently inside the PokeBall before putting it away.

Kokichi shouted something else, probably a taunt that didn't make its way past the storm, but Shuichi just ignored it. _Okay, so I know I don't have any Pokemon that are as high a level as his Froslass... But I guess Crossbones would be the way to go? Certainly not Meatball, at the very least..._ Shuichi reached for Crossbones's PokeBall... And hesitated.

_Wait, Froslass is a ghost type... And Lumineon is a water type... So based on the moves of my Pokemon, who I should really go for is –_

"HEY SHUICHI, YOU'RE NOT BAILING ON ME, ARE YOU, YOU MEANIE?!"

"Let's go, Boomer!"

"Emol, emolga!"

Emolga shot out into the storm, easily coasting on the winds of Froslass's Blizzard. Shuichi grinned across the field, and as he took a deep breath of the icy cold air, he knew by the way his heart soared he made a good choice.

Maybe this wouldn't be a guaranteed loss on his part after all.

"BOOMER, USE U-TURN!" Shuichi yelled out into the arena, loud enough so Kokichi could hear him – just like how Kokichi yelled out at Shuichi just a moment ago. Evanescence stood up next to Shuichi, and Shuichi knew if he hadn't been on-duty, he probably would have howled.

"Mol!" Boomer cut through the clouds, striking Froslass before the other Pokemon could react. Normally, this would be the part where Boomer returned to its PokeBall, but Shuichi didn't have anyone to switch out to.

The hail fell again, and although Shuichi winced as he heard Boomer's cry meaning it got hit, he didn't back down.

Beside him, Evanescence pressed its side to Shuichi's leg. Shuichi balled his hands into fists as he waited for Kokichi's next move.

"...ard!"

"Froslass!"

Froslass raised its arms again, and in a blast of wind, Boomer was sent flying. "Emol!"

"Boomer!" Just like that, Shuichi's determined mood vanished in the wind. He peered through the storm, trying to see what was happening, but wherever Boomer ended up, Shuichi couldn't see him.

Kokichi, though, apparently could, and after nodding away from Shuichi, Froslass dispelled the blizzard with a final arm wave, and Shuichi got to see the sight of Kokichi making his way over to him with a blank expression, fainted Boomer in his arms.

"Ah! Boomer!" Shuichi dashed out to Kokichi, Evanescence bounding beside him. Shuichi didn't know what to say, or think, but his mind was already yelling at him what ifs about Boomer being seriously hurt, and as Shuichi reached Kokichi he couldn't even do anything more than stare at Boomer.

_What if Boomer's injured what if Boomer doesn't get better what if Boomer hates you now what if –_

...

Evanescence tugged on his pant leg, and Shuichi realized he was hyperventilating.

Forcing himself to calm down and breathe, Shuichi blinked as he continued to stare at Boomer... Who Kokichi was currently administering a Potion to. Looking at him now, Shuichi could see he was fine, but Shuichi didn't dare ask to hold him, instead slowly sitting down so he could hug Evanescence.

A moment later, Kokichi joined him. Between the warmth of Evanescence and the tears starting to slip from his eyes, Shuichi realized this was the longest he'd ever heard Kokichi be quiet.

"Emol?"

Shuichi choked up, and as he turned to his side, Boomer jumped over to his shoulder and patted his cheek sympathetically. Behind Boomer, Kokichi was smiling softly, looking away like he wasn't sure how to help.

Shuichi reached out a hand to Kokichi, but froze before making contact. Kokichi blinked, but Shuichi didn't know whether he'd noticed or not.

Boomer climbed up his head and rested on his hat. Shuichi wasn't complaining.

"You knoow," Kokichi began, as he waved at Froslass, which Shuichi only just now realized he hadn't actually returned to its PokeBall, "maybe I'll save the dare for another time, so you can help me prank Kiibo. If he was here, then we could do it today, but alas," Kokichi sighed.

Shuichi knew that was as direct to an "are you okay?" as he was going to get from Kokichi, but he was okay with that. In fact... It was kinda nice.

So Shuichi smiled, turned, and buried his face into Mightyena fur.

Because maybe this battle didn't go that well, but at the end of the day, Shuichi knew he had both people and Pokemon who loved him.

"Eeemolga!"


	4. Do You Daydream of Acceptance?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kokichi has Maladaptive Daydreaming Disorder, which means he's gonna have his head in the clouds for a good part of his life, even if he doesn't want to. He wouldn't be surprised if Shuichi leaves him once he finds out... But will he?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I saw the word "music" and was like "ah, yes, MaDD time." Cause!! I see so many fics in so many different pairings talking about the ships dealing with depression, anxiety, and sometimes other mental disorders. But Maladaptive Daydreaming Disorder? Not so much! So screw that, us maladaptive daydreamers deserve our happy endings too. (Oh, and btw, if you're wondering how I got MADD out of a music prompt – most madd-ers, including myself, daydream while listening to music.) Hope you enjoy!

Kokichi was pacing again.

To be fair, it wasn't like it was anything new to Kokichi. Whenever he got home to his dorm room after school, he'd go to his room, plug in his earbuds, and pace while listening to music on YouTube. It was normal, it was routine, and... And it was something he'd been doing for years.

Kokichi stopped halfway through the song, pausing it as he plopped down on the floor to switch over to social media for a few minutes. Typing in a tag and scrolling through it for a few moments, Kokichi had inspiration again, and he jumped up to continue pacing again.

Maybe... Maybe "pacing" was the wrong word. Sure, it _was_ pacing, but that wasn't all he did. Sometimes Kokichi danced, sometimes he'd act... But most of the time, he was pacing, making movements and saying lines that went with the masterpiece of a plot in his head –

The sound of a doorbell startled Kokichi out of his thoughts. Pausing the song again, this time a bit more irked, Kokichi marched through his dorm, took a moment to compose himself, and opened the door with a fake smile already plastered onto his face.

"Ooh, heey, Shuichi! To what do I owe the pleasure?" Kokichi asked, poking his cheek with one finger while he batted down his irritation at being interrupted. He checked the clock on his phone; Shuichi never took too much of his time up, but maybe if Kokichi hurried him along...

"Ah, nothing much!" Shuichi smiled at him, and Kokichi returned it with a grin, but the next words out of Shuichi's mouth both ruined and inspired any genuine feelings behind it. "I was just wondering if you wanted to hang out today? I was thinking about a date at the carnival?"

The carnival. It was in town for the week, and though Kokichi had already gone with DICE, going with his beloved would be _awesome._ Kokichi'd been hoping to go with him since the carnival opened! He just wanted to see if Shuichi would ask him first, and now he had.

But... There was just one problem. "Ooh, is Shuichi asking _me_ out on a date instead of the other way around? How bold, Shuichi! But, I'm a very busy person. Will it fit in my schedule, I wonder?"

Shuichi's smile started to fall, as if he knew what was coming next. "I... Was thinking about going now, if that's okay."

Kokichi's grin disappeared, and as it did, his grip on his phone tightened. Kokichi pulled out his earbuds, but he knew he understood what Shuichi said.

That wasn't nearly enough time to mentally prepare, and shove around when his scheduled daydreaming would be. So Kokichi, inwardly sighing with s heavy heart, picked up his metaphorical mask again and beamed his best sad grin at Shuichi, hands behind his head. "Sorry, but that won't work out! Unfortunately for you, I've got a lot of supreme leader business to –"

"Kokichi, I know that's a lie." Shuichi cut through his lie, and Kokichi's face fell only for a moment. Ignoring Shuichi's determined look, the kind he only got when he was serious about something, Kokichi switched tracks to a different story.

"You got me! I'm actually decoding the next Rosetta Stone; Korekiyo asked me to do it and you know I can't say no to someone as scary as –"

"That's a lie."

"Okaaay, so I was actually baking something and if I leave it in the oven too long it's gonna burn, so if you'll excuse me –"

"Kokichi."

Shuichi called his bluff one final time, and Kokichi gave it up. Kokichi's shoulders slumped, and as Shuichi took a step forward, face full of concern, he took a step back.

"Kokichi, what's wrong? Are you sick?" Shuichi asked softly, and Kokichi practically jumped at the chance to lie and leave, but before he could even do more than open his mouth, Shuichi was muttering to himself, "No, that doesn't explain why..."

Frustration bubbled inside Kokichi like the bubbles in his favorite soda. "It doesn't explain _what,_ Shuichi? Having a busy schedule?"

Shuichi froze for just a moment, eyes wide, and Kokichi swallowed. Teetering on the edge of two choices, Kokichi wondered for a heartbeat if everyone felt like the world was tilted when they had the opportunity to open up to someone, but banished the thought with the next movement Shuichi made, which was to take a step back, looking over him curiously.

Kokichi knew he could have pushed further, poke the metaphorical bear of temper some more and made Shuichi leave, but something inside him was tired.

Maybe this time, he'd let Shuichi push back.

... Kokichi checked the time again. Seven minutes had passed.

"Kokichi," Shuichi began slowly, but Kokichi didn't meet his eyes. The hallway wall seemed very interesting right now. "Are you okay? Whenever I bring up something to do, if it's not a few hours away, you shut the idea down. And I know you stay up late, a lot later than what's healthy, and... And I see you muttering to yourself sometimes, or doing something that doesn't make sense in the situation. I know it could all just be a part of who you are, but...

"Are you okay?"

Are you okay. Are you _normal,_ more like. Shuichi, like the detective he was, had laid out a good handful of his symptoms, of the things he couldn't always cover up or handle, and Kokichi didn't move.

_... So, is that it?_

Kokichi knew Shuichi was growing uncomfortable with the silence; the shifting and fidgeting he did would have made it obvious to him, even if they hadn't been dating for over a year now. Kokichi raised his free hand, eyes going to the door, and a memory of soon after they started dating came to mind.

_"Are you really sure you'd wanna date a liar like me? I doubt you'll want me once you really know the true me – if you can manage to unravel my lies, that is, nishishi!"_

_"Yes, I'm... I'm sure. And unless your 'true self' is a murderer or something, I won't leave you just for you being yourself. That would be just wrong."_

_"... Oh really? You promise then? To stay with me even if you find out the horrible secrets of who I really am?"_

_"I – ... Yes, I promise. I love you, Kokichi."_

... Hah. "I love you, Kokichi." Kokichi knew it was a lie, the promise Shuichi made. No one wanted to stay with someone who dealt with something as "obviously fake" as Maladaptive Daydreaming Disorder. No one wanted to deal with someone who spent half their life in a world they made up.

"Kokichi?"

Ah. So he hadn't left yet. Alright, might as well tell him and get this over with, since Kokichi knew how this was going to end anyway. How... Boring.

_How... Typical._

"Nishishi!" With a giggle and his fakest smile yet, Kokichi lunged forward, grabbing Shuichi's arm and pulling him inside the room. Shuichi stumbled as Kokichi shut the door behind him, quickly spinning on his heel and leading the way into the living room.

"Ah? Kokichi?" Shuichi's voice betrayed his surprise, while on the outside Shuichi appeared quite calm, the only indication of concern his raised eyebrows and glances around the room. He followed Kokichi slowly, shuffling to the couch that Kokichi plopped down on; Kokichi was already scrolling through his saved photos, looking for a specific one. "Kokichi, what is it? Did – did something happen?"

_Yes, I developed a mental disorder years ago as a coping mechanism, thank you for your concern,_ Kokichi snarked back in his head. He stayed silent through, even when he found what he was looking for and jabbed his phone at Shuichi for him to take.

Shuichi flinched, but after a moment of staring between the two, he gingerly took the phone, perching himself down at the edge of the couch cushion as he read. Kokichi turned away, gazing at the solitary window his dorm provided, waiting for Shuichi to understand.

He knew the words by heart. He knew the _explanation_ by heart, he should say. He got used to having to explain it to therapists over the years, and having to pull up sources for the ones that scoffed at him. Heck, if Shuichi wanted, he could probably rattle off the url for the webpage of the the scientist who put a name to his disorder.

But Kokichi wasn't going to do that. As he heard Shuichi take a deep breath, Kokichi closed his eyes, waiting for the rejection, the mocking, or the storming out.

Hey, maybe he'd get all three this time. It had been a while since he got that reaction... Not since...

"So... You have... Maladaptive Daydreaming Disorder?"

Kokichi didn't open his eyes. "Yeppers!"

"And that's why you've been doing all... All the things I talked about earlier?"

"... Yep!"

"..."

"..."

"Okay, thank you for telling me, Kokichi. I'm glad I get to understand you a bit better."

All at once, Kokichi's eyes snapped open wide, he shot up to a sitting position, and his jaw dropped open like a fish's mouth. He didn't know how he felt – relieved? Happy? Loved? – but _something_ was going on with his emotions, and Kokichi had to take a deep breath to steady himself, feeling light despite how heavy his heart had been just a minute ago.

"You... You don't..." Kokichi didn't care if Shuichi could see right through him right now. Kokichi blinked at Shuichi, as if the situation were a fuzzy dream that would disappear if he just woke up, and as Shuichi reached for his hand, a concerned frown on his face, Kokichi finally found the words to express his shock.

"You really don't care? Shuichi, this – this is – a, a, a _DICE member_ left because they didn't want to deal with that! With... Me! Why on earth would you... It doesn't... It doesn't..."

Kokichi trailed off. Swiftly, Shuichi moved to put his arms around Kokichi, and the smaller boy buried his face in Shuichi's shoulder like it was second nature.

"I'm really, really sorry, Kokichi," Shuichi breathed, just loud enough for him to hear, and Kokichi tensed, heart skipping a beat before Shuichi kept it going with his next words. "You shouldn't have had to feel like this was something you needed to hide."

... _What._ Kokichi stayed there for a heartbeat. Slowly, shakily, he brought his own arms around Shuichi, and though his face was still pressed against his boyfriend's chest, Kokichi mumbled out, "You still love me?"

"Wh – of course I do!" Shuichi's voice was surprised, but there was still that undertone of "why the hell are you asking me this?" that Kokichi expected of him, and Kokichi choked out a laugh as Shuichi continued. "I wouldn't... Kokichi, I..."

Kokichi took a deep breath. Pulling away from Shuichi, Kokichi grinned, and not even he was sure whether it was fake or not. "I knew my beloved wouldn't leave me! I was just testing you!"

Shuichi pulled back as well, though he kept his arms wrapped around Kokichi. Something danced in his eyes – pity? Love? Kokichi couldn't tell.

But the shock was wearing off now. And with the lack of shock came all the previous emotions Kokichi had before he opened up.

"Welp, alright. That's enough mushy business for one day!" Kokichi beamed at Shuichi, jumping off the couch and turning to face him while clapping his hands. "Now, I'm gonna ask this of you as polite as possible, so listen up, Shuichi."

"Ah?" Shuichi shifted on the couch, straightening up and giving Kokichi his full attention. "What is it?"

Kokichi gave him one of his creepier grins, and said very, very slowly, "Get the fuck out of my dorm room so I can daydream, and do not breathe a single word about this to anyone."

Shuichi jolted back, but after a moment had passed where Kokichi didn't move and gave him the opportunity to process his request, Kokichi felt his heart flutter as Shuichi laughed. "All right, I'll do that. I'll see you later, then?"

"Totally!" Kokichi held his hand out. "Buuuut, you gotta give me my phone back, beloved! Don't tell me you were trying to steal it!"

Soon, after a series of apologies from Shuichi, and a return of reassurances and pushes from Kokichi, Shuichi was out of his dorm, and Kokichi was able to sigh in relief as he returned to his bedroom, checking his phone again.

_Hm. Fifteen minutes._

And it seems that Kokichi had lost his train of daydream in that time.

...

Maybe he'd listen to some love songs this time.


	5. Snow on Halloween Is Totally Normal, Trust Me

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Snowy Day – Snow on Halloween wasn't exactly what Shuichi expected to see, but Kokichi was dragging him out trick or treating regardless of the weather... Well, at least they both have warm costumes!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is based off of something that actually happened to me once, where it snowed on Halloween as I was out trick-or-treating with my family! The "snow" prompt just made me think of that time, and I figured I might as well write about it. Anyway, hope you enjoy!

"Are you sure this is a good idea, Kokichi?" Shuichi paused in his lacing up his boot, turning to look out the kitchen doorway to where Kokichi was putting on his gloves in front of the front door. "The weather report said it was going to snow tonight."

Kokichi just scoffed, wiggling his fingers to get used to the texture of the fake paws. "You're obviously not used to my hometown yet, then! Around here, the sky snows whenever it feels like it, and we deal with it like adults! You're just weak from your life in the hot, hot sun."

Shuichi snorted lightly, turning back to finish tying his shoe. A part of what Kokichi said was true – Shuichi grew up a lot further south than Kokichi, not even seeing snow until he went to Hope's Peak. Shuichi had his doubts about just how often Kokichi implied it to snow around here, but, well, it _was_ snowing on Halloween... And Kokichi _did_ scoff at the foot of snow they got that one time at school...

Shuichi shook his head. Well, whatever. Regardless of whether or not it snowed a lot around here, Shuichi was staying over for the while, and he was going to be trick-or-treating no matter the weather. Finishing his boot, Shuichi lowered his foot from the chair he was resting it on and felt a weight slam into his back.

"Kokichi!"

"Nishishi!" Came the anticipated response, and Shuichi turned around as Kokichi released him, grinning despite himself. Kokichi beamed up at him, werewolf capelet over his snow pants and gray sweater, and Shuichi caught a glimpse of his scarf behind the fur of Kokichi's costume. Kokichi giggled and raised his pillowcase.

"Ready, Shumai? We've got a lot of houses to hit, and I don't want you having to stuff all your candy in your pocket! Then it'll be melted when I go to eat it!" Kokichi warned him; ignoring that last part, Shuichi reached and grabbed the pillowcase that he put on the table, slipping on his own gloves before turning back to Kokichi.

"Yeah, I'm rea – woah!" As soon as "I'm rea" came out of his mouth, Kokichi was pulling him along, and within a few moments Shuichi was laughing into the cold air of the night. As Kokichi locked the door behind them, Shuichi took the opportunity to gaze over the already falling snow.

_Wow... It's already starting, huh? I thought it would be later when the snow began falling... Still, it makes for a pretty sight, even with all the fake blood and limbs strewn about the lawn._

"Shumai!"

Feeling a tug on his arm, Shuichi look down to see Kokichi pulling on his hand and slowly inching forward towards the street. Kokichi glanced up at Shuichi with a bratty grin. "Come on, come on! We've got lots to do and I have to go to DICE's Halloween party after this! Come _on!_"

Shuichi didn't bother pointing out how the "have to" was a lie – the rest of DICE had reminded both him and Kokichi that they were free to go to bed after trick-or-treating, Kokichi was just adamant about attending – and let himself be pulled along down the road. Shuichi took a deep breath of the night air, marveling at how he could practically taste the chill on his tongue.

The snow crunching under their feet and Kokichi's humming were the only sounds for a large part of their trip, punctured only by doorbells, kids laughing and talking, and, of course, the cheer of "trick-or-treat!" whenever anyone out tonight got answered at the door. As a group of kids raced past, followed by two adults who gave him and Kokichi a nod, Shuichi had to admit that there were more people out tonight than he would have expected. He'd thought that the cold would have convinced people to stay home, but apparently not...

_Huh, it looks like Kokichi wasn't lying about this being normal for his town. Or, well, normal enough._

"Hey, Shuichi, pay attention to me!" Kokichi whined, pouting at him as he stopped pulling on Shuichi's arm like he had been ever since they started walking. "Don't tell me you want to go home so soon! The night's barely started!"

"Ah –" Shuichi, in truth, had no idea what time it was, so he couldn't say if that last part was a lie or not, but... He opened his mouth to say that no, that wasn't what he was thinking about at all, but a sudden gust of wind cut through his layers and made him shiver. _Maybe going home isn't such a bad idea._

Kokichi, evidently, had the same thought, as a blank look came onto his face after the wind settled, and he was left still shivering. Shuichi let out a small noise of concern as he moved closer to Kokichi; he knew, even if the other denied it sometimes, just how susceptible Kokichi was to a bad chill.

"Gross, I don't want Shuichi all over me!" Despite his quiet words, Kokichi pressed against his side, and Shuichi patiently waited for him to come to whatever conclusion he was making. If he wanted to turn back, Shuichi had no qualms with that. And if he wanted to keep going, well, Shuichi would keep going for just a little longer before heading home before either one of them caught a chill.

"... Okay," Kokichi finally said. Through his thinking, he hadn't looked once at Shuichi, but rather gazed at the spooky decorations lining the street. When he made up his mind, however, he turned back to Shuichi with a determined look on his face. "As the supreme leader, I have made a decision!"

"Oh?" Shuichi smirked; unable to hide it as Kokichi had gripped onto his arm again, and his other hand was holding his pillowcase full of candy, he settled for not meeting Kokichi's eyes. "And what is your decision?"

Kokichi pointed down the street to where it split in half. "We're gonna circle back to the house and dump all our candy there before heading to DICE'S party! I can't have my beloved getting a cold now, can –?"

Kokichi's last word was cut off with a sneeze, and even as his smirk grew, Shuichi glanced over at the smaller boy, eyes softened. Well, at least Kokichi knew his limits, even if he was "only going home for his beloved," as he implied. "Sure, okay."

Kokichi beamed, and as he took to pulling Shuichi along again, his grip slipped down until they were holding hands. Shuichi sighed, letting Kokichi lead him home with a smile on his face.

He just hoped he'd be ready for whatever party DICE had planned.


	6. Three Days to Set Up a Confession is As Easy As Cookies and Roses

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Appreciation Day – Shuichi employs Rantaro's help to confess to Kokichi. Rantaro's _got_ this.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't really talk about other writers or artists I like (I mostly just rb their stuff on Tumblr and leave comments when I can), buuut... I chose one of my favorite saiouma artists, @natsumiheart, for this day of Saiouma Week! The piece that inspired this fic can be found here: https://natsumiheart.tumblr.com/post/186266193762/dont-you-hate-it-when-the-love-of-your-life-just . I'll admit that this fic only briefly mentions the comic that inspired it, but I hope you enjoy anyway!

Rantaro wasn't new to being a wingman. He'd done it for plenty of his sisters before, and he was a frequent choice for people to go to for romance advice, even if he himself was aro. Still, he can't say that he had ever been in a wingman situation quite like _this_ before.

Because not only was Shuichi requesting help from him in confessing to someone, but he was asking for help in confessing to _Kokichi Ouma._ AKA, the person literally everyone knew had a crush on Shuichi.

Except, it seems, Shuichi himself.

"I'm sorry, could you please repeat that? I want to make sure I heard right." Rantaro would have pinched his nose in exasperation if he wasn't so polite. Instead, he merely crossed his arms and narrowed his eyes at Shuichi, who was glancing to the side and not making eye contact. "You want my help in confessing to Kokichi?" _The guy who calls you his beloved? The guy who flirts with you every other day? The guy who I hear endless talking from about how you're so amazing it should be a crime?_

Shuichi shifted his weight, a frown on his face. "Er, yes, of course, if you don't want to, that's fine too, I just thought I should ask since you helped Kaede out with her and Kirumi, and, well..."

As Shuichi trailed off, Rantaro took a deep breath, letting it out and starting to plan how he could do this. Since he already knew both of them loved each other... "Alright, give me like, three days."

"What?!" Shuichi snapped his head up to look at him, jaw dropped. For once, he didn't seem to care that he was being loud, and his eyes were wide and he visibly struggled to find the words to express his surprise. "But – three?! How – I know you're friends with him, but –"

Shuichi's rambling stopped as Rantaro calmly put a hand on his shoulder, smiling at him with his trademark easygoing grin. Shuichi blinked at him, and Rantaro squeezed his shoulder reassuringly.

"Hey, don't worry about it, I'm serious. I'm gonna go find Kokichi and talk to him, so don't wait up on me, okay?"

Shuichi nodded slowly, seemingly coming out of his shock as he stepped back from Rantaro. "You... Are you sure you can help me in only three days?"

Rantaro wasn't surprised at Shuichi's surprise, since it had taken _weeks_ for Kaede and Kirumi to get together, even with Rantaro's help. But on the other hand, what Shuichi _didn't_ know was that his crush liked him back, and Rantaro was going to use that to his full advantage. "Yeah, I got it. I'm not a suspicious guy, remember?"

Shuichi couldn't hide his snicker at the inside joke that had come from one time the class played Clue, and Rantaro waved as he walked away, already pulling out his phone to call Kokichi and request a hang out.

Now, let's see if he can put this plan into action...

—

Day one of Rantaro's plan: a hangout where Kokichi and Shuichi baked cookies together.

Rantaro hadn't needed to say anything more than "cookies" to get Kokichi to agree, and after a quick text to Shuichi to meet them in the school kitchen, the three of them found themselves mixing batter that Rantaro bought from the store yesterday after hanging out with Kokichi.

So far, Rantaro's favorite part of this whole thing had got to be when Shuichi walked into breakfast with Kaito and Maki, and Kokichi muttered to him, "Do we even need the sun anymore?" only to find, with quickly covered up elation, that Shuichi stayed after breakfast to bake with them.

Rantaro had snorted at seeing Kokichi hide his real emotions behind a cocky attitude. Kokichi had socked him in the arm.

That said, a close second favorite would have been when Kokichi called him over to "check if the batter looked right." Of course, he only called Rantaro over to talk without Shuichi hearing.

"Alright, avocado dork," Kokichi had hissed at him; his batter was perfectly fine, and Kokichi had wasted no time getting to the point. "I know you and your weird matchmaking thing. Are you trying to set me up with Shuichi?"

Rantaro only shrugged. "Maybe," he replied nonchalantly, and Kokichi punched him again, both because there was no way to tell whether or not that was a lie, and because it could be true. Thankfully, Kokichi wasn't very strong, and Rantaro didn't see any bruises when they finished up, and he went home with two happy friends, and a bagful of cookies.

Shuichi texted him and thanked him for the help getting closer to Kokichi today. Kokichi called and said he was going to steal all his cookies at midnight for trying to set him and Shuichi up today. Rantaro just laughed, made a tick mark on his calendar, and started preparing for the next day's matchmaking event.

—

Day two of Rantaro's plan: trying to convince Kokichi to confess.

"C'mon, I'm sure nothing bad will come of telling him."

"'Nothing bad' my ass! He'll hate me even more than he normally does, obviously!"

Rantaro rubbed his forehead, giving Kokichi a deadpan look as Kokichi huffed and turned away, staring at the books laid out on the table in front of him. The few others in the school library didn't pay them much attention; their whispered debate was going nowhere, and Rantaro was starting to wonder if he should have brought Kokichi somewhere else to talk about this.

"Kokichi, Shuichi isn't really the 'hating' type. You know this. I know this. He's so far from the type of person to hate someone we have a literal fan club for him. You started it, shouldn't you know this?"

Kokichi muttered something under his breath that Rantaro couldn't hear. "Sorry, what was that?"

Kokichi picked his head up from where he had been scowling at a page about the physical geography of Mongolia. "I _said,_ that he wouldn't believe me anyway! I'm too much of a liar; remember when I tried to warn Kaede about Miu pulling a prank on her and she walked right into it anyway?"

"You're not much of a liar with me," Rantaro offered, but privately he had to agree Kokichi had a point. That hadn't been one of Kaede's better days, but oddly enough she became a little better at spotting Kokichi's lies after that incident. "And Shuichi knows you well enough to believe you when you're being serious."

"Hah!" Kokichi scoffed, just a tad too loudly, and quickly got shushed by a library assistant. Kokichi stuck his tongue out at them when their back was turned, then turned back to Rantaro with one of his more serious expressions, slumping in his chair. "I only lie less with you cause you buy me Panta. And why should I trust that he won't start hating me after he knows a liar like me thinks of him like that? He hates liars like me; just accept it..." 

Rantaro took in a slow breath as he watched Kokichi deflate. He hadn't wanted to play this card, but if Kokichi left him no choice...

"Give it a go, tomorrow afternoon, and if you do it I'll be DICE's getaway driver for the next month." Rantaro closed his eyes, but he already knew Kokichi was probably gaping at him. After months of pestering for Rantaro to join DICE or take part in their pranks, he was offering to be their driver, just like that? Rantaro held up a hand before Kokichi could say anything. "If it goes badly, you can just say your confession was a lie, right? Just make sure I'm there to see it happen."

Rantaro opened one eye, and was pleased to see Kokichi with a blank expression. That probably meant he was thinking it over; Rantaro knew he couldn't resist an offer like that, and smiled as he rested his head on one hand.

Kokichi took his time thinking. Rantaro waited patiently.

"Alright, fine!" Kokichi agreed finally, again being shushed as he had grown too loud again. Kokichi didn't stick his tongue out this time, instead grinning as he stuck a hand out at Rantaro. "You better buy me a box full of Panta too!"

"Of course." Rantaro took the offered hand, and as Kokichi shook it with a pretend air of dignity, Rantaro chuckled. Now, to see if he could get Shuichi to confess as a bonus...

—

Day three of Rantaro's plan: picking out flowers with Shuichi.

It hadn't taken much pushing from Rantaro for Shuichi to agree to buy Kokichi flowers. Sure, he had been embarrassed about the idea at first, but they weren't arguing about confessing for a half hour (unlike with Kokichi), so Rantaro counted his wins. Plus, Kokichi was going to be stopping by Shuichi's place to confess in... Half an hour? Twenty minutes? Fifty? Kokichi was finicky like that, but Rantaro didn't mind. He just had to make sure they were done and back to the dorms by three pm.

Easy as... Oh, hey, cool, they dyed roses blue!

"Hey Shuichi, take a look at this," Rantaro called. Shuichi, a little down the aisle looking at some bellflowers, glanced up at him before heading over, eyes analytical.

"Blue... Roses?" Shuichi smiled, shaking his head as Rantaro chuckled. "Well, they do look nice. Do you think Kokichi would like them?"

"Honestly? Yes, completely." Rantaro smirked as he imagined Kokichi's face, being given blue roses by Shuichi. He didn't blush often, but Rantaro knew Kokichi's face would be bright red if Shuichi gave him something he found cool. "I think he'd find them interesting, don't you think?"

Shuichi narrowed his eyes at the flowers and tilted his head in thought; Rantaro shrugged and left him to it, checking his phone to text Kokichi and ask where he was currently.

Twenty minutes and a purchase later, Rantaro was giving Shuichi a last-minute pep talk as they headed towards the dorms of Hope's Peak. Shuichi brought up a couple of his concerns with Rantaro, but Rantaro shot them down as swiftly as they were spoken. Shuichi was nervous about what to say? "Just keep it short and simple. Offer the roses, say you like him, and wait for his answer." Shuichi was worried Kokichi would be lying if he said he liked him back? "Knowing him, he'll probably immediately declare his love was a lie, so you don't have to worry about being tricked, just accept that this is his way of turning you down. It's not the best way, but on the other hand, it's not the worst."

The pep talk was kept short, because as soon as they reached the second floor of the dorms, Rantaro paused, gave Shuichi a thumbs up, and pointed to where Kokichi was waiting with a tapping foot and an unusually sharp outfit outside Shuichi's room.

Shuichi gave a light gasp; he glanced to Rantaro once more for reassurance, and slowly, hesitantly, he made his way towards Kokichi. As Kokichi checked the watch Rantaro wasn't even aware he had, Shuichi quietly brought out the roses in front of him, seeming to shake off his nerves as he took a deep breath.

Rantaro held in a chuckle as he leaned on the wall next to the stairwell door.

_C'mon... C'mon, notice hi – yes! Haha, contact made!_

Kokichi had glanced up, and Rantaro had to try _hard_ to hold in his giggles as he saw how red Kokichi got within a few seconds. Of course, a blink later and the blush was gone, and Kokichi was casually talking with Shuichi with his hands behind his head.

Rantaro couldn't hear them well, but that was a normal experience for him when it came to match making. He simply leaned forward a tad and strained to make out what they were saying.

"... -cy... ting you here!"

".... Wanted ... Wait, this is my room, why – nevermind."

"So? Does Shuichi ... something... say to me?"

Rantaro crossed his fingers. _Do it, do it, do it, do it!_

"Yeah, actually. I... you these."

Shuichi offered Kokichi the flowers, and Rantaro silently cheered as he watched Kokichi blush again, taking the flowers with what was probably a snarky comment, though Rantaro couldn't hear it from here. Shuichi went red as well, though not on the same level as Kokichi, and Rantaro inwardly happy danced.

Ooh, but it seems the show wasn't over yet. There were still the mutual feelings to confess!

"Ooh, why... Shuichi... ?

"Er... You see..."

Shuichi glanced back at Rantaro discreetly. Rantaro made sure to give him the very specific thumbs up and grin found in that HTTYD3 meme. Shuichi gave him a light nod, smiling, and turned back to Kokichi, taking a deep breath.

"I really like you, Kokichi. Romantically."

Rantaro beamed, pumped the air with his fist; he had to restrain himself from outwardly celebrating too much, but c'mon, who _wouldn't_ be excited?! Rantaro sighed in relief as he thought about how he'd no longer have to listen to Kokichi's pining rants, and as he realized that he should probably leave and start planning how to tease Kokichi at their next hang out, he nearly missed Kokichi pull Shuichi down into their first kiss.

Rantaro chuckled and left, humming a song that played while he was at the flower shop.

Now, if only he could get Kaito and Korekiyo to stop being oblivious that easily...


End file.
